Speech enhancement method using deep learning approach for hearing-impaired listeners.

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Abstract

A deep learning-based speech enhancement method is proposed to aid hearing-impaired listeners by improving speech intelligibility. The algorithm decomposes the noisy speech signal into frames (as features). Subsequently, a deep convolutional neural network is fed with decomposed noisy speech signal frames to produce frequency channel estimation. However, a higher signal-to-noise ratio information is contained in produced frequency channel estimation. Using this estimate, speech-dominated cochlear implant channels are taken to produce electrical stimulation. This process is the same as that of the conventional n-of-m cochlear implant coding strategies. To determine the speech-in-noise performance of 12 cochlear implant users, the fan and music sound applied are considered as background noises. Performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by considering these background noises. Low processing delay and reliable architecture are the best characteristics of the deep learning-based speech enhancement algorithm; hence, this can be suitably applied for all applications of hearing devices. Experimental results demonstrate that deep convolutional neural network approach appeared more promising than conventional approaches.